News for Band Of Horses

We have been popping bubbly all day long over at Sub Pop HQ, as Grammy Nominations were announced late last night for this year’s awards and two of our artists, Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba and Flight of the Conchords were nominated. Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba’sI Speak Fula was nominated in the category of “Best Traditional World Music Album” and Flight of the ConchordsI Told You I Was Freaky for “Best Comedy Album.” Big ups also to Low whose song “Silver Rider” was covered by Robert Plant on his latest release, Band Of Joy, which was nominated for “Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance.” Needless to say, we are STOKED!

We would also like to send our congrats to Sub Pop alums Band of Horses and Broken Bells (which is fronted by James Mercer of The Shins) for nominations in the category of Best Alternative Music Album.

Band of Horses, Bon Iver, Cee-Lo and James Blunt, Conan O’Brien, Foo Fighters, Jack White and The Dead Weather, Janis Joplin, Jerry Garcia and Dancing Bears, Jimi Hendrix, Light in the Attic Records, The Monkees, Muse, Nike, Pearl Jam, The Rolling Stones, The Simpsons, Third Man Records, The White Stripes and more on…

CharityBuzz.com now through December 14th.

Benefit Shows Scheduled for Seattle and Ann Arbor to Raise Funds for Foundation.

Seattle, WA – On October 24, 2010, Sub Pop Records’ VP of Sales, Director of Marketing, and remarkable friend Andy Kotowicz died as a result of injuries he suffered in a terrible car accident three nights previous. He was 37 years old and he is dearly, profoundly missed. The Andy Kotowicz Family Foundation was established in an effort to help provide for Andy’s wife Jocelyn and his young daughter Anna. An auction on CharityBuzz.com featuring items from Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Muse, The Simpsons and more is open for bidding now until December 14th. In addition to the auction a concert is scheduled for December 4th at Seattle’s Showbox at the Market with performances by many of the bands Andy worked with at Sub Pop as an A&R representative. Finally, there will be a benefit show held on December 8th, Andy’s birthday, in his hometown of Ann Arbor/Ypsi.

These shows and events, the wide array of auction items collected below, all are partial testament to the very full life lived by our friend. On behalf of Andy’s family and as part of it, we at Sub Pop Records are deeply grateful for all of the items donated here, for all of the artists, venues, vendors and assorted sponsors who have donated their time and/or something arguably more palpable. Please consider bidding on these items and/or donating to or otherwise supporting the Andy Kotowicz Family Foundation.

More information provided below.

Andy Kotowicz Family Foundation Benefit Shows

Saturday, December 4th: A Concert for The Andy Kotowicz Family Foundation with Shabazz Palaces, Vetiver, Fruit Bats, Wolf Eyes, Pissed Jeans, Mudhoney, A Frames/AFCGT, and Michael Yonkers at Seattle’s Showbox at the Market. $20

To help raise proceeds for the Andy Kotowicz Family Foundation, Pearl Jam is auctioning off an autographed Fender Standard Telecaster FSR guitar in Butterscotch. This item was signed by all members of the band on October 30, 2010. Guitar comes with a Fender Telecaster Gig Bag.

Autographed Pearl Jam Poster (SOLD! for $3,750)

Designed by Ames Bros, this poster is from the June 13, 2007 Pearl Jam show in Katowice Poland. Signed by Jeff Ament, Matt Cameron, Boom Gaspar, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, and Eddie Vedder. Katowice is the ancestral city of the late Andy Kotowicz. He had recently visited Poland and Katowice with some Sub Pop co-workers. It was his wish to return to Poland with his father and his wife and daughter. We thought this poster would be appropriate. Thanks to the fine folks at Northwest Art and Frame in Seattle for donating the beautiful framing job.

Autographed by guitarist Chris Shiftlet, bassist Nate Mendel, drummer Taylor Hawkins, and frontman Dave Grohl of the critically-acclaimed Foo Fighters, this iconic guitar is modeled after some of the battle-hardened Telecasters that Joe Strummer performed with during his days with the Clash. Dave Grohl is one of many artists to carry on his legacy.

The Foo Fighters have been recognized as one of the most influential bands since the mid-90s. They’ve won six Grammy awards including statues for Best Rock Album and Best Hard Rock Performance. Hits include “Learn To Fly,” “My Hero,” and “Monkeywrench.”

This Yamaha acoustic was autographed by Atlantic label-mates James Blunt and Cee-Lo Green, both of whom consistently demonstrate their aptitude for songwriting; James Blunt is responsible for such massive songs as “You’re Beautiful,” “High” and “Goodbye My Lover,” while Cee-Lo co-wrote probably the biggest pop track of 2006 with “Crazy.”

Let it Bleed: The Rolling Stones 1969 U.S. Tour (STANDARDEDITION) is a book that celebrates not only one of The Rolling Stones’ finest albums ever—containing hits like “Gimme Shelter” and “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”—but also a powerful moment in time, perched between two charismatic decades that brought great change.

This limited edition (just 2,600 copies), signed and numbered by author/photographer Ethan Russell, contains hundreds of never-before-seen photographs, expertly printed on heavy matte paper stock, and comes in a full-color slipcase. The 420-page, hardcover, oversized book is a must-have for even the casual Stones fan, plus a great way to introduce the new generation to a time when rock (both on and off the stage) actually rocked the world.

An autographed copy of the deluxe version of the band’s album Infinite Arms, which includes the album on 180-gram vinyl and CD, plus high-quality prints of photos that grace the album package. Also included here is a framed autographed poster from the band’s October 30th show at the Fox Theater in Atlanta.

Muse, an English trio from Devon, have released 5 albums. The most recent is The Resistance which features the tracks “Uprising,” “Resistance” and “Undisclosed Desires.” In addition, music from Muse has been featured in the 3 Twilight films with their most recent song “Neutron Star Collision (Love Is Forever)” being the lead song in Eclipse (Twilight III).

“Bart-O-Lounger” is a limited edition sericel comprised of 2,500 serigraphed cels. Each piece was printed with 23 separate colors. To create this edition, the characters’ artwork has been transferred onto cel material utilizing a fine art silk-screening process know as serigraphy. Each sericel measures 10″ × 13″ with a serigraphed background printed on acid free paper. A special seal of authenticity is embossed onto the cel.

Conceptualized by Third Man head honcho Jack White, The Triple-Decker is a clear vinyl 12" single by White’s band The Dead Weather. But sealed inside that 12" single is a 7" single that is available nowhere else. To hear the songs on the 7", you physically have to destroy the 12" single in the process.

The Triple-Decker record was limited to 300 copies. 100 copies were available through Third Man’s physical storefront in Nashville in September and sold out in one hour, while another 100 copies were randomly inserted in mail orders made through Third Man. The remaining 100 were sent out as promotion, divvied amongst band members and so on.

This is a unique piece for any Jack White or Third Man fan, as well as anyone interested in collecting unique pieces of vinyl.

Genuine leather tour jacket (L) from the Conan O’Brien Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on TV Tour which ran from April 12 through June 16, 2010. These jackets were given to tour personnel and were not available for sale to the public.

Conan autographed spoken word 7" recorded by Jack White at Third Man Records.

Conan O’Brien and the Legally Prohibited Band Live at Third Man 12" black and blue vinyl.

The Supreme Nike SB 94 shoe is a newly designed mid-top skate shoe. Designed by Supreme and engineered by Nike, this co-operative project incorporates the inclusion of “foamposite” at the heel cup and stylistic elements and details from vintage basketball shoes, referencing a time when basketball sneakers were appropriated for skating, before the intro of real skate shoes. While Supreme has collaborated with Nike previously on existing silhouettes, this will be the first time both companies have come together to develop and design a completely new model.

Several materials and technologies are at play on the SB 94, each with its own specific purpose. The “foamposite,” a unique material that is particular to Nike shoes, was included for its great functionality of shock absorption, in addition to its widespread cultural adoption into the annals of New York sneaker culture. The body materials (leather and suede) were selected with skateboarding functionality in mind, and the rubber compounds used on the sole unit were engineered with an optimal grip/wear profile. The shoe also features the Zoom Air technology developed by Nike.

This lot might make you the biggest Light in the Attic product recipient the world has yet known! Replete with every Digipak CD, gatefold tip-on LP, release poster (be it retail or limited edition), ’zine, and every bit of random swag they could get their hands on, this pile of LITA collectibles represents the most comprehensive label collection imaginable.

If you are looking to start up your reissue back catalog, this is the perfect time!

Don Van Vliet aka Captain Beefheart was a visual artist before he was a musician. As a young child he drew serious accolades for his animal sculptures and was offered a scholarship to study in Europe. His parents declined; and while continuing to create in the visual medium, Van Vliet turned his attention to music, within ten years forming the first incarnation of the legendary experimental outfit Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band. The following 15 years are music history.

But in 1983 Van Vliet retired from music to pursue painting and drawing, the focus of this extraordinary boxed set. Riding Some Kind of Unusual Skull Sleigh, named after a painting the artist completed in 1987, provides an opportunity to own one of his original, signed color etchings.

This is a Monkees limited edition lunchbox package produced by Rhino Records in 1997 and signed by Peter Tork.

Inside the metal lunchbox is a 110-minute VHS tape Our Favorite Episodes featuring 4 episodes of The Monkees TV series (“Hitting the High Seas,” “Monkees vs. Machine,” “Fairy Tale,” and “The Frodis Caper”) and a jigsaw puzzle stored in a replica single-serving cereal box (The Monkees, Breakfast of Chimpions). There is also a cardboard insert to hold everything in place and a small brochure with other available Monkees products.

This Frankenstein-themed poster—designed by Stanley Mouse and Alton Kelley—was created as a possible logo for the Grateful Dead. The poster is notable for the misspelling of the Grateful Dead’s name and the quote at the bottom, “May the baby Jesus shut your mouth and open your mind.”

Frankenstein by Stanley Mouse and Alton Kelley is a fine art lithograph printed at S2 Editions, Ltd. Atelier in Las Vegas, NV in 2008 under the supervision of master printer Raymond Mazza.

FIRSTDAYISSUESTAMPS of Jimi Hendrix
Montserrat Volcano Relief, Dated August 29, 1997. SIGNEDANDNUMBERED 111/250.
Includes Certificate of Authenticity, still in shrink-wrap with identifying sticker, never displayed.

“Jimi Hendrix will always be a significant and memorable figure in the world of music. Because of his notability, the Government of Montserrat has immortalized his image on an official government-issued postage stamp. Approved by Queen Elizabeth II, each stamp bears her royal cipher. This is a fully licensed, signed by the photographer, Elliott Landy, Limited Edition of 250 pieces.”

FIRSTDAYISSUESTAMPS of Janis Joplin
Montserrat Volcano Relief, SIGNEDANDNUMBERED 80/250.
Includes Certificate of Authenticity, still in shrink-wrap with identifying sticker, never displayed.
Official government-issued postage stamp.
“Approved by Queen Elizabeth II, each stamp bears her royal cipher. Signed by the photographer, Elliott Landy, Limited Edition of 250 pieces.”

Terms: Stamp sheets Include Certificate of Authenticity, still in shrink-wrap with identifying sticker, never displayed.

Own one of only five test pressings in existence for The White Stripes Sub Pop Singles club single which features three Captain Beefheart covers" “Party of Special Things to Do” b/w “China Pig” and “Ashtray Heart.”

This is an incredibly rare item, never made available before and the perfect addition to your collection!

It’s that time of year again where we get to tell you our favorite things from the year 2009. There were going to be some novelty entries like “Top 10 Rudest People in the Office” and “Top 10 Top 10 Lists” but then I realized that these lists are only marginally interesting anyway, so why beat a dead horse by throwing in a bunch of office in-jokes. Anyhow, I’ve taken it upon myself to offer up a package of all of Sub Pop’s 2009 full length releases to a random lucky commenter who adds his or her very own Top 10 list in the comments section, fancy bullet points not required. (Bonus points to whoever comes up with the Top 10 Form of Paying Attention Columns of 2009. Just sayin’.) It’s been a nice year, see y’all in 2010!!!! *UPDATE! WE’VE PICKED A WINNER AS OF 12/15/09. THANKSFORPLAYING!*

Sasha Barr

maserati/ zombi split

alela diane to be still

big business mind the drift

elton john tumbleweed connection

ben nichols the last pale light in the west

black moth super rainbow eating us

sleepy eyes of death dark signals

fungi girls seafaring pyramids

wilco ashes of american flags

the sound all fall down

no age losing feeling

mark sultan hold on

Coraline

Up

Andy Kotowicz

Blues Control Local Color

Fuck Buttons Tarot Sport

Pissed Jeans King of Jeans (can’t help it)

Akron Family Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free

Moritz Von Oswald Trio Vertical Ascent

VA 5 Years of Hyperdub

Demdike Stare Symbiosis

Black to Comm Alphabet 1968

Reigning Sound Love & Curses

Disrupt The Bass Has Left the Building

Sasha Morgan

Phosphorescent To Willie

Abner Jay The True Story of Abner Jay

The Feelies The Good Earth (re-issue)

V/A Mata La Pena (Mississippi Records world music comp!)

Girls – Album

Kurt Vile Childish Prodigy

Neil Young Archives – Volume 1: 1963-1972

Strange Boys The Strange Boys and Girls Club (new favorite as of this week)

Michael Hurley Ida Con Snock

Fletcher C. Johnson – He hasn’t released a full length, but I may as well count this as an album of the year for me based on how many times I’ve listened to his songs on Myspace

discovered that I like bleu cheese (I’d been trying, this year it worked)

getting back on my bicycle (not really related to totaled car but it helps)

discovering the television show MI-5 (called Spooks in the rest of the world)

seeing early Melvins open for Green River and “Houdini”-era Melvins

Ruben Mendez

Spider Spider (Thriftstore)

The Beets Spit in the Face of People That Don’t Want To Be Cool (Captured Tracks)

Strange Boys Strange Boys and Girls Club (In the Red)

Reigning Sound Love and Curses (In the Red)

Eat Skull Wild and Inside (Siltbreeze)

Obits I Blame You (Sub Pop)

Talbot Tagora Lessons in the Woods or a City (Hardly Art)

Kurt Vile Childish Prodigy (Matador)

Jacuzzi Boys No Season (Florida’s Dying)

Moon Duo Killing Time EP (Sacred Bones)

Nobunny Raw Romance cassette (Burger)

There were/are so many more though… Intelligence, Dan Melchior, Thee Oh Sees put out a few (many) full lengths that I can get behind as well. I also want to throw in Christmas Island and the Dutchess and the Duke, too. There were a ton of great albums out in 2009!!! I’d also like to add Jason Smith stage diving during the Mummies while wrapped up in toilet paper.

Honorable Mentions – Arthur & Yu and the Moondoggies collaboration over the spring / summer…Rosalie Sorrels If I Could Be The Rain (not a new record but I discovered this 1967 LP this year and probably listened to it more than anything else in 2009 — seriously)… Muswell Hillbillies by the Kinks (for my money their best record and sorely overlooked, at least by me until this year…)…Familiars reunion show at the Funhouse… Party Weekend 09 – Labor Day weekend when Davila 666, Ty Segal and the Beets were all in town. That was so much fun

Andrew Sullivan

mika miko we be xuxa

thomas function in the valley of the sickness

spits school’s out

vivian girls everything goes wrong

paul baribeau new demo tape

Thee Oh Sees help

seeing where the wild things are on mushrooms

Quintron on Halloween in New Orleans

Riding my bike from my living room to California

our new haus

Lacey Swain

Chuy Pancakes the dog

Coconut Coolouts/Personal & the Pizzas/Tyvek summer tour

Loan modification success

All my 2009 baby friends (Billie, Paloma, Oscar)

Being married for one year

The Oh Sees Help

Dutchess & the Duke Sunrise/Sunset

Obits I Blame You

Lots and lots of good shows, records, and friends

Seeing Tyvek play the Paramount

The Mummies and The Brentwoods at Budget Rock

Megan Jasper
(Top 10 Sub Pop things other than good records)

Baby Billie!

Tony and Sonya’s wedding!

Dean and Lauren’s engagement

The introduction of Chuy Pancakes

Our amazing Sub Pop scholarship winners

Lavaman with Carly

Fleet Foxes on SNL!!

Mudhoney in Warsaw

Going to Willie Nelson’s house with Band of Horses!

Willie biting the mean mailman

Sue Busch
(Songs…..there are more than 10. Sorry.)

Memory Tapes “Bicycle”

Dum Dum Girls “Hey Sis”

The Big Pink “Count Backwards from Ten”

Mayfair Set “Desert Fun”

The Horrors “Scarlet Fields”

Animal Collective “In the Flowers”

Crystal Stilts “The Dazzled”

Micachu and the Shapes “Calculator”

Pains of Being Pure At Heart “Higher Than the Stars”

The XX “Crystalised”

No Age “You’re a Target”

Male Bonding “Pumpkin”

Girls “Morning Light”

Real Estate “Fake Blues”

Best Coast “When I’m With You”

Atlas Sound “An Orchid”

Grizzly Bear “Two Weeks”

Veronica Falls “Found Love In a Graveyard”

Angelina Saez

The Link Light Rail (yes I’m the only one in the office benefiting from this thing)

On September 15th, we’re releasing a new Grand Archives record. It’s their second, it’s called Keep in Mind Frankenstein and, oh man, are we excited about it! We are also pretty excited about the special treat we have for you pre-orderers of this record. If you order the CD or LP (which comes with a digital download code) by September 15th, we’ll throw in a totally limited (and equally sweet) custom screen-printed Grand Archives bandana at no extra charge. This was something the band thought up and we got behind it immediately. Grand Archives want to give their fans bandanas? Then they get bandanas! We will also throw in Grand Archives and Sub Pop related buttons and stickers. So let’s do a quick recap: pre-order by September 15th, get a Grand Archives bandana, buttons and stickers. Plus, the handsomely packaged (the jackets for both formats feature some fancy, gold foil-stamped printing) CD and/or LP! Oh yeah, you’ll also get access to a stream of the entire record so you can listen to it right away. This is very, very good for you.

This Thursday, PBS will begin to air the Pete Seeger 90th Birthday Concert which took place earlier this year at Madison Square Garden as part of the Great Performances series. The broadcast will feature Ben and Tyler performing the classic Turn! Turn! Turn! alongside Roger McGuinn, and many other unique and amazing collaborations amongst the artists who came together to celebrate the life and music of Pete Seeger. Be sure to tune in! Check your local PBS listing for air times.

So, in keeping true to our vague oath to put more t-shirts up for sale in the near future, I present to you another limited-time t-shirt sale. Now through Thursday, July 2nd, we’ve got Pissed Jeans, Sub Pop, Band of Horses, and Handsome Furs shirts on sale for $10! It’s summer dudes, treat yourself to a t-shirt.